Revenge
by Gweneveire
Summary: The man she loved is dead, and the people she trusted betrayed her. Now, with the help of the mysterious man who saved her life, there's only one thing left for her to do: kill the Teen Titans.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Her senses came to her slowly.

It was warm, wherever she was. Her body felt heavy and numb, like it had been positioned into place and she couldn't move it. Vaguely, she realized she was laying down. The fabric beneath her was soft. There was a steady beeping noise coming from her left, but she could still hear the sound of rain falling, tapping against the glass of a window.

With a jolt of realization, she bolted upright, eyes opening wide. She squinted against the light, trying to make out the room in front of her. The beeping intensified.

She was in a small bedroom of sorts, with a big picture window to her right. It was the only source of illumination, casting gray light over the utilitarian room.

She jerked her head, ignoring the pounding headache it gave her, to identify the source of the noise. It was a heart monitor. There was all kinds of equipment around the head of her bed. She lifted her arm, looking at the IV taped against the inside of it.

 _I'm alive_. The images swam through her head, playing like a sped up movie. Her on her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks, looking into his dead eyes as she cradled his body. They closed in on her, fists raised. The last thing she remembered was the heat of the fire.

Yes, she was alive, but the man she loved was dead.

She choked, like she was dry heaving. It felt like every muscle in her body was shaking as the memories poured into her. _They killed him_ , she thought, disbelief taking hold.

The sense of loss was overwhelming. It was pervasive and agonizing, tearing through her and leaving her breathless. _They killed him_. She repeated it again and again.

The girl wrapped her quivering arms around herself, letting the tears come again. She had no idea where she was, but she didn't even care. She had lost him. She had lost everything. The people she had thought were her friends, it turned out they were nothing but monsters. She'd _trusted_ them, and they'd lied to her. They had betrayed her in the worst way you could betray a person.

The grief was unbearable. It felt like she could drown in the sorrow that ached like a hole in her gut. She had tried so hard to protect him, but she had failed. No matter what she did she couldn't get the image of his dead, glassy eyes to leave her mind.

She gasped against the sobs, nails digging into the skin on her arms. She could still see his face, could still hear his voice. She could still picture the future they would have had together, the one they were planning.

She was so consumed that she almost didn't notice the door at the far end of the room slide open slowly. As soon as the man walked into the room, her attention diverted to him.

He turned, closing the door behind him gently. He had silver-streaked hair and a patch over his right eye.

She watched him with caution, frantically wiping at her eyes. This man did not look like a doctor, and this was not a hospital. She set her jaw and sent energy to her hands, hoping that if they glowed she would look more intimidating than she felt. Looking down, she was surprised to find them merely clenched into fists.

"My powers," she whispered in disbelief. She turned on the stranger, anger alight in her eyes. "What have you done?"

He held up his hands in front of him defensively. "I apologize. I did not mean to frighten you," he said in a deep, almost melodic voice. "I don't want to hurt you, and I didn't take your powers away. I'm here to help you." He walked towards her slowly, stopping at the foot of her bed. She relaxed considerably. Something about him seemed trustworthy. She believed him when he spoke.

"S-sorry," she all but whispered. "I just, I don't know what happened to me."

He gave a soft, sad smile. "I'm rather confused about what happened as well. May I start from the beginning? Perhaps you could help me understand." She nodded. She took a few shaky breaths and wiped at her eyes, trying to compose herself. "You're..." he hesitated.

"My name is Raven," she said slowly.

He nodded. "Right. Raven of the Teen Titans." He walked a little closer, taking a seat in a chair by her bedside. "This is my house," he began, gesturing around the room. "One night, I heard an explosion come from down the street. I'm a doctor, you see, so I thought I might be able to help. I ran over, but when I got there I saw the Titans." He paused, gauging her reaction. "You were there Raven, on the ground, holding a man. He looked injured. I was about to run in and offer my assistance when the Titans began to attack you."

Raven tried to keep her expression neutral as the memories flashed before her eyes. "They said, 'You betrayed us Raven. And you have to pay for it,'" she whispered slowly. "Robin, he... he threw that disk at me. There was another explosion..." she trailed off, remembering how everything went black. "How am I not dead?"

"Your powers, I believe they protected you. After they left I tried to help the two of you. The man, he was already dead, but you were just barely alive. I brought you back here instead of a hospital because I was worried they might find you and finish the job. You lived, but not without scars," he said, looking down from her eyes and landing somewhere on her neck.

Looking down slowly, Raven brushed her fingertips against her neck. There was a burn there, spreading from her collarbone to her jaw along the right side of her neck. It felt old though, like it had had time to heal.

"I'm so sorry," he began to explain, as if reading her thoughts, "but you've been in a coma all this time. That night... it was almost a year ago."

Raven blinked. "A year ago," she whispered. She felt numb at this point, like there wasn't anything he could tell her that would come as a shock. She had lost everything. Why not a year of her life?

"It seems your powers are gone as well," he added, walking beside her to look at all of the monitors she was attached to.

She clenched her jaw, staring down at her hands. "Maybe I'm just in shock. Maybe they'll come back." She could at least be optimistic about it. Her powers had failed her before, but they had always returned eventually.

"Perhaps," he said with a nod.

Raven looked up at him suddenly. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. I don't know how I can repay you," she said, trying her best to muster a smile. He returned it with a smile of his own. "I still don't know your name."

He looked at her for a moment before he spoke. "My name," he said slowly, looking her right in the eyes, "is Slade."

 _Slade_. Raven didn't know why, but something sparked when he said it. She had never met the man before. She had never even heard of anyone called Slade. It wasn't a positive feeling or a negative one. It was indescribable; a tiny rush of adrenaline.

"Well... thank you again, Slade," she drawled slowly.

"Of course. I'd do anything to help one of our city's heroes," he replied, looking at her with narrowed eyes, like he was appraising her. "If you don't mind me asking," he started after a moment, "Why did your friends attack you? That's the one thing I'm afraid I still don't understand."

"I..." she trailed off, brows furrowing. The memory of the attack seemed so clear, but the lead up was fuzzy in her mind.

"Here," he said, rising from the chair and moving towards a counter. He returned with a steaming mug, the tag of a tea bag sticking over the side. "Perhaps this will calm you and allow you to think more clearly."

Raven took the mug with a nod, inhaling the scent. She couldn't quite identify the type of tea, but it was herbal. "Thank you," she said earnestly, taking a sip. The drink made her feel warm and safe, as it always had. She continued to drink.

"Now, can you remember why they attacked?"

He was right: the tea made her memories feel clearer. She could suddenly see all of it.

"Do you remember that man you saw? The one they killed? He... he was my fiance. We had just gotten engaged." She paused for a moment and grit her teeth. "I never told them about my relationship. That night was the first they found out about it. I brought him to the tower and made the announcement, but instead of being happy they told me it was dangerous. That I couldn't love because I'm..." she paused, unsure if she should reveal herself to this man. There was a kind, patient look in his eyes that convinced her to continue. "I have... demonic blood. They told me I was unstable, that I would destroy them if I was in love. It isn't true," she whispered, shaking her head vigorously. "I would never hurt them." She set the empty mug on the table beside her. "But they didn't believe me."

"I thought they were your friends?" he asked, a cold edge to his voice.

Raven let out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "They never liked me. They never trusted me. They said so all the time. They only pretended to be my friends." The more she spoke, the truer it sounded, and the more angry she became. "I guess they decided the easiest thing to do was to get rid of him, and of me."

"I'm so sorry Raven," Slade murmured, looking right into her eyes with his head cocked at a sympathetic angle. A few moments passed between them in silence. "If I may ask, what was his name?"

"My fiance's?" she asked, voice almost a whisper. He nodded. "His name was Grant. Grant Wilson." He seemed oddly satisfied with her answer.

"So," he began after another minute, "what are you going to do now?"

It was a simple question, but it still took her by surprise. What was she going to do? There was so much anger and pain and grief twisted up inside her, she felt like she was going to burst. She balled her hands into fists and clenched her jaw, fighting against the tears that threatened to consume her again. One defiant tear spilled over, tracing a path down her cheek.

It was a simple question, and in her eyes it had a pretty simple answer. She couldn't move on. She couldn't sit around and let the emotion consume her. She needed action, and the way she saw it there was only one action that could come close to making this right.

She lifted her gaze, staring Slade right in the eyes. "I'm going to kill the Titans."


	2. Training

Hi friends! I thought I forgot something when I posted the last chapter, turns out it was to introduce this story. This is going to be my second long story and I'm really excited, so thanks for checking it out! You can expect updates on Fridays. It may start a little rocky for you, but I think you'll like where it's heading. Also, this story is rated M for reasons to come. Buckle in, we'll get lemony eventually. Please drop me a note below, it's really encouraging to hear from you!

XOXO Gwen

PS. HAPPY BBxRAE WEEK! I missed the memo but this update is (sort of?) my contribution.

* * *

 **Training**

"Again!" His voice echoed loudly through the room, sending even more adrenaline through her veins. She took a deep breath in, mustering the strength she had left, and began her attack.

The man she fought wore a black mask, as they all did, so she tried her best to approximate where his nose would be as she brought her palm up with lightening speed towards it. He threw up his arm to block her, as she expected. The move was only a distraction; as soon as he threw his weight into the block, she shifted, swinging out her right leg to land a kick to his ankle, throwing him off balance.

As he tried to recover from the attack, she spun and brought an elbow into his side, ducking down to miss his flailing punches. Apparently she wasn't fast enough, because before she knew what was happening a fist struck the left side of her jaw. It wasn't a particularly well placed or powerful punch, but it was enough to leave her reeling for a second.

They continued to exchange blows, dancing around one another endlessly. Raven didn't dare look at her tutor, who she knew was watching angrily from the sidelines. She should have finished this guy off by now. It seemed the more anxious she became about her fight, the longer it took to finish it.

"Enough!"

Raven flinched when she heard his voice. She took a few steps back, mirroring her opponent, and tensed herself, ready for Slade's intervention.

She could hear him approaching from behind, but she remained motionless, waiting for his lecture to begin. Instead, she felt his gloved hand wrap around her wrist, spinning her around with painful force. Her eyes widened and her mind raced as she moved her free arm up to block whatever he was about to throw at her. It was too little too late; his fist connected hard with the other side of her jaw, the uninjured one. She tried not to wince, knowing she'd have another bruise tomorrow. She focused her efforts on his next attack.

"How do you still struggle with these exercises?" Slade ground out between blows. Raven just barely kept pace with him, blocking his hits as he threw them. His eyes flashed with anger and frustration. Raven knew the feeling: she herself was disappointed that her training was taking so long.

"Do you believe your old friends are going to be easier opponents? They'll kill you in an instant, you are too weak to defend yourself," he sneered, stepping back from her for a second. The two circled each other, waiting for any hint of what the other was planning. Raven had at least learned how to read body language in a battle. There was no move you couldn't anticipate, if you payed close enough attention.

Raven had been studying with him for almost three months now, but she was still waiting for a breakthrough. She was training to take down the Titans: her former friends, her current enemies. The people who would pay for the crimes they committed.

She was lucky to have been found by Slade, on so many counts. She owed this man her life, for one, but her debt with him only grew. After she announced her plan for vengeance, he revealed that he could help her learn to fight. She was powerless; she needed something more if she was going to stand against the Titans. And by some undeserved stroke of luck, someone fell into her lap who could give it to her.

"Take initiative Raven, do you want your revenge or not?" he practically snarled at her. Raven grit her teeth, lunging forward as he had suggested.

She took quick, powerful strikes at him while dancing around his, making use of her smaller stature to move quicker than his heavy blows. Despite her efforts, she took a hard kick to her side that left her stumbling.

"You're getting sloppy," he reprimanded, giving her just a second to catch her breath. "You may be able to take on Starfire, Beast Boy, and Cyborg, but you'll never beat Robin like this."

Raven clenched her hands, hating the truth in his statement. She lurched forward again, this time with a little more determination.

Slade continued to block her blows, as she did his, the two of them dancing around the arena. "They did this to you because they could, Raven, because you are weak," he said quietly as they fought. "They rejected you because you're weak. They tried to kill you and you were too _weak_ to stop it."

Anger started to boil in her gut as his torrent of antagonism continued. It was true, all of it. They used her, they lied to her, and in the end they took everything from her. She'd been so stupid.

"And your fiance," Slade continued, "he trusted you. He needed you to protect him." The image flashed through her mind again. Grant's dead eyes staring through her. The image she'd never shake. Tears started to well in her eyes. "He's dead because of your weakness!"

Raven let out a cry, shaking her head. The anger boiled over, coursing through her veins. Her eyes narrowed at the man in front of her. As she lunged at him, she pulled out the bo staff she secretly kept in her bra, extending it as she struck.

"I... am... not... weak!" she yelled with every blow. Slade's eyes grew in surprise as he threw his arms up to try and block her. He was strong, but she was angry as hell.

She sent a jab into his chest, knocking him back a few feet. She didn't let up, using the staff to sweep at his legs. He fell backwards, sprawling out on the floor.

Raven hovered over him, tense and panting. Her chest heaved breaths of air and she could feel her hands trembling. Slowly, deliberately, Slade rose from the ground. They stood, face to face, staring one another in the eye.

She knew she was about to get yelled at. Bringing a weapon to hand-to-hand training was against the rules, and using one against the master? Practically suicide. Raven stuck out her chin, ready for whatever he was going to dish out. She was tired of losing.

He smiled at her, chuckling a bit. Raven narrowed her eyes, confused.

" _That_ is what I wanted to see from you Raven," he said in praise. "Ruthlessness. Willingness to do whatever it takes to win. _That_ is how you get strong. That is how you can kill them."

He turned his back to her, heading towards the doors. Raven eased out of her crouched stance, her muscles aching. She was used to the feeling by now.

"You're dismissed for the day. I suggest you work on your research into the Titan's whereabouts. It seems you might be ready to make use of it soon."

Raven watched as he and his assistant left the room, the sound of the door closing echoing through the gym.

Images of her former friends floated through her mind. _He wants me to be ruthless?_ she thought as she moved to get her things.

"Watch me."

* * *

Raven moved through the compound silently, absently staring at its vaguely Asian design. It was hard to believe she had lived here for so many months. It felt like yesterday that she had woken up in Slade's house in downtown Jump City.

The compound, a very secretive training academy for the martial arts, sat about an hour and half outside of Jump. She certainly didn't know of its existence when she was with the Titans, and she didn't think Robin did either. She was surprised when Slade first told her about it. He was a member of this underground society and she had convinced him to take her under his wing. Her powers hadn't returned to her, and though she tried every day to meditate and reactivate them, she was running out of optimism.

Raven had always believed in destiny, and she knew that finding this place was hers. A doctor had been nearby during the attack, had saved her life, then just happened to be a combat expert and could give her the training she needed to exact her revenge? Some people would think it suspicious, but everything in her life had seemed to align up until this point. Everything had happened for a reason.

Her gut told her to trust this man. Whenever she spoke to him she felt calmer. There was something so benign about his voice, she couldn't imagine lies in it. He'd shown her nothing but kindness for over a year, even when she wasn't conscious for most of it. He was a harsh teacher, to be sure, but she knew in this discipline you had to be. Her mission was an extremely dangerous one, she couldn't afford to be coddled. When he screamed at her, or when he dealt her a harsh blow, she knew it was out of concern for her safety.

Raven turned the corner into the hall with her living quarters. She was the only one living in this part of the compound. She always wondered if their current enrollment was low or something, because though she saw others in the training rooms and gyms, she never saw them outside of those spaces. They kind of creeped her out though, so she couldn't complain too much. The true, "full time" students here had to wear these black masks, meaning she never saw their faces. She was glad Slade was able to get her a pass on that policy.

She jammed her key into the lock on her door, shoving it open and dropping her gym bag by the entrance. The room was small and utilitarian, but it was more than enough for her.

She leaned into the compact bathroom from the doorway, flipping the lights on and starting the water in the shower. It always took forever to heat up. As she kicked her sneakers off, the spread of papers on the small kitchen table caught her eye.

She had four files, one for each of them. According to Slade, after her "death" the team had split up, each member going their separate ways. It was a little hard for her to believe at first, that things had changed so much since that night. From her research, they barely even talked to one another anymore. She was still adjusting to the reality that a year had gone by in the world without her.

Some members had been easy to track down. Others, not so much. While it was frustrating legwork to formulate four separate attack plans, she had to admit it would be a lot easier than taking them on all at once.

Raven slipped back into the bathroom, pulling her clothes off and depositing them in the hamper by the door. She stepped under the still-too-cold stream of water and tried to coax her muscles into relaxing.

A little flurry of excitement swirled in her stomach from Slade's comment earlier. _Could this be it?_ She wondered. Some part of her thought she'd never get to leave this place. But it seemed that she might have finally become sufficient enough of a fighter to convince him she was ready. The combat classes were always where she struggled. They'd done all sorts of espionage and weapons training during her time here, which she'd aced. This was the last thing holding her back, and she may have just surpassed it.

Raven ran her fingertips in slow circles around her scalp, lathering up her shampoo. While she felt ready to take on the challenge before her, she also felt a twinge of nerves. This was not going to be easy. They had already tried to kill her, and had come so close in succeeding. Raven absently traced her fingers over the burn that stretched along her neck. In a way, she liked having it there: it was the ever-present reminder of the loss she had suffered. It was like a tattoo; a mark to memorialize her pain and grief. She grit her teeth, shoving the feelings aside like always. She'd made up her mind before: she'd kill the Titans, or she'd die trying.

It's not like she had anything to live for anyway. She had no friends, no family, and no home. The life she had built was gone, and she was too damn tired and angry to try and build another.

She turned the shower handle to off, standing still for a moment in the echoes of dripping water on tile.  
It wasn't only that she feared what would happen if she failed in her quest. She feared what would happen after she'd succeeded. She had one goal ahead of her, and she let her bloodlust and heartbreak drive her forward. Once she actually killed them, what would she do then?

She pushed the thoughts aside, throwing her robe over her shoulders and pulling the ties tight. She grit her teeth, staring at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. It didn't matter what she did. This wasn't just about her, it was about justice. And it was about Grant.

She heard a faint knock at her door and she glanced at the clock on the wall behind her. 6:30 pm. Dinner was here, perfectly on time.

Raven sighed, moving towards her front door. When she opened it, another man in a black mask stood there with a tray of food.

Supposedly, there was a cafeteria here, though Raven had never seen it. Slade insisted all of her meals be brought to her in her room, though she didn't understand why. Whenever Slade said anything around here, people tripped over themselves to comply.

"Thank you," she said softly, taking the try and setting it on her table, shoving a few papers aside in the process. When she turned back around, the man was gone.

She rushed back to the door, sticking her head out into the hallway. She found him retreating back down the hall.

"Wait!" she called, the word surging up before she had time to think it through. The man stopped, and slowly turned to look at her, still silent.

"Uh... what's your name?" she asked awkwardly.

The man stared at her for a few moments, then said something unintelligible. If she had to guess she'd say it was Chinese. He had a strange accent though.

"Oh, um... sorry," she muttered, watching as he turned once again and disappeared around the corner. She sighed, moving back inside. She sat down at the table, taking a look at what was on her plate. _Meat, rice, broth. The usual_. There was also a mug of the herbal tea that Slade always brought for her.

She brought the mug to her lips, inhaling the earthy scent before taking a hearty gulp of it. The tea always helped clear her mind. She felt the tension in her shoulders relax and the uncertainty from earlier fade away. She had a plan, a good plan, and she just had to follow through with it.

She picked up one of the files and began flipping through it for the hundredth time. That was how she'd spend her evening, just like she spent every other one. She knew those file's contents inside and out, which was comforting to her.

As boring of a process as it was, she knew one thing would come of it: the Titans wouldn't stand a chance.

* * *

" _Are you wearing... cologne?" Raven asked cautiously from her end of the couch._

" _Yup." Beast Boy didn't even look away from the show he was watching. Raven sat with her lips pursed, considering this development._

 _They were in the common room and it was unbearably hot, though she wasn't exactly sure why. There was a fan to help circulate the air until it cooled down, and it left her downwind of her teammate, the only other Titan there at the moment._

" _It smells... nice." It was true, though she didn't know why she said it. The scent was subtle and it suited him well, but Azar knew he didn't need an ego boost._

" _Thanks," he grinned, attention still on the TV. "Picked it up in London."_

 _London. They had been in London for two weeks, and they had just returned. They'd left the AC off while they were gone, to conserve energy. The picture grew a little clearer for her._

 _She took a deep breath of the scent. It was strange. The other boys didn't wear cologne. It smelled foreign, like it belonged to some grown man, not one of her friends._

 _There were words on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't bring herself to say them. He's busy, she justified, watching him out of the corner of her eye as she pretended to read._

 _Suddenly he stood, turned the TV off, and walked towards the door. He paused before going up the stairs, turning towards her._

" _Uhh... see you around."_

 _Raven's mouth wanted so desperately to let the words slip, but she kept her lips in a thin line instead. "Yeah," she managed to mutter._

 _He gave her a short, uneasy smile and turned away, moving silently out of the common room._

 _He was leaving, and all she could muster was a single, sad word._

Raven's eyes fluttered, struggling against the yellow glow of light. As she grew more lucid, reality started to come back to her.

She laid in bed, propped up by pillows, an open case file in her left hand. Some of the papers had fallen out, probably when she fell asleep in the middle of reading them. Raven glanced at her clock as she organized them back into the folder. It was half past midnight.

It had happened again. The weird dreams had started after she'd gone to the Tower. She knew it was a mistake, but she needed to do it anyway. She'd slipped out in the dead of night, walking for miles before she found the bus to take her into the city.

The Tower was abandoned. Had been for months. She tried not to cringe at the rats that scampered along in the shadows or the spiderwebs that had started to cover the place she used to call home. The Teen Titans were officially disbanded. Slade and her own research had told her that, but for some reason she had a compulsion to see it for herself.

She hadn't stayed long and she hadn't been caught sneaking out. The trip was fairly uneventful, but she couldn't help but notice the correlation between it and the dreams. The next night she had the first one, and since that they'd been near-constant.

If she didn't know any better, she'd say they were memories. Perhaps they were; little mundane moments hidden in the recesses of her mind. But upon waking, no matter how hard she wracked her brain, she couldn't come up with the time and place they'd happened in real life. Tonight's was particularly confounding; she had never even been to London, to the best of her knowledge.

Raven moved to turn the light off, placing the file on the nightstand. It was his file, Beast Boy's. She turned away from it defiantly, pulling the covers over her shoulder.

All her life, her dreams had meant something to her. But there was something off about these. Something about them made her feel uneasy.

It was a feeling she couldn't afford. Not with the destiny she was about to fulfill.


	3. Strategy

**Strategy**

Raven fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, crumpling it up into her tightly clenched fist. She kept telling herself to relax. At the very least, for the sake of keeping her apparel unwrinkled before her big meeting with Slade.

The time had come to show him everything she'd been preparing. She had one shot to get it right or he was likely to call her a waste and kick her to the curb. Logically, she knew she was as prepared for this as she could be. It did little to quell the churning of her stomach.

She brushed her fingers along the edge of the perfectly spaced files arranged on the dining table in front of her, trying to produce some additional question she hadn't already anticipated. She knew what he'd start with. It's what he always asked her. _Are you certain?_

Her bloodlust seemed to confuse him at first, seeing as how he constantly asked about it. _Why kill them? Weren't they your friends? Aren't they heroes?_

Raven had to do her best to deliver a calm answer. On the inside, any mention of them make her blood boil. He didn't understand how deep their betrayal went. He couldn't comprehend their cruelty.

They killed Grant. In cold blood. That alone would be enough for her. But this wasn't some enemy who was always after them; it was the people she was supposed to feel safest around. She'd told them everything over the years. All of her secrets and all of her shame, laid bare for them. And they'd always been there for her. She still didn't comprehend how they could become such monsters at the end. She supposed they must have always been monsters and she just hadn't seen it. They'd taken her vulnerabilities and exploited them.

She had loved them unconditionally, despite all their flaws, but they couldn't tolerate hers. They weren't her friends. Friends support one another. They help one another. She had received nothing but suspicion and fear. She'd given them everything—her life, her powers, her service, her friendship—and they used her. They were selfish, jealous snakes that needed to be taken out so they couldn't hurt anyone else.

Raven took a deep breath to try and calm herself. As Slade always said, emotion was good, but you have to channel it. She'd taken every ounce of anger and frustration and regret and channeled it in the plans before her.

She almost jumped when she heard the knock on the door. She practically leapt out of her chair, throwing open the door to her quarters.

One of the masked pupils stood on the other side.

"Is it time?" she asked.

He simply nodded.

* * *

Raven glanced at the clock above the door for the what felt like the hundredth time. Two minutes had gone by since she last checked. Slade was taking _forever_ to go through the materials she had presented him with. Maps, itineraries, weapons diagrams; they were all laid out before him in his study, ready for his approval. This was the last step before she set out on her own, and her mentor was taking it seriously.

She had spent the past three months putting this together and she knew it was perfect. Every factor had been accounted for, every contingency had been planned. She had painstakingly researched each target and carefully crafted her plan of attack.

She sat with her lips pursed, watching his face for any hint of reaction. She knew the questions would come any second now, and she had to answer them flawlessly to earn his consent to her departure.

Slade looked up, leaning back in his chair and slightly narrowing his eyes at her. She knew exactly what he was going to say.

"Beast Boy," Slade drawled. The set of his mouth told her she'd better have a damn good response.

"I've already told you about the Beast Boy problem," she began calmly. "I've tried everything I can to find him, but he's disappeared. I mean it," she added, catching his look. "He was the first to take off, before the team officially disbanded. I know he left two weeks before the others based on the records I hacked from the Titan's Tower security system, but there are no flights for me to track, no sightings, and no correspondence between him and the other Titans. My guess is that Cyborg made him some kind of holographic device before he left that could change his appearance. If he was still green, he wouldn't be this difficult to find.

"That's why I'm going after the others first. I believe they have some idea of where he is. Especially Cyborg. At the very least he can tell me what kind of technology he used to disguise him, so I can disable it or use it to find him. Besides, the two of them were... close," she finished, unable to keep the note of disdain from her voice.

Slade tapped his fingers on the table, considering her plan. She knew that would be the hardest part to sell, because of the uncertainty. Slade wanted everything planned out perfectly. Raven did too, but she knew this was the best she could do at this point.

He took a deep breath in, then exhaled it slowly. He looked up from the papers, staring her right in the eyes.

"Okay."

Raven blinked, her mouth falling slightly agape. _That was it?_ she wondered. She was expecting to be grilled.

"I... you're giving me your approval?" she asked cautiously.

He nodded. "I've watched you grow into a competent fighter over the past few months and I know how hard you've worked to plan everything out," he said, gesturing to the files. "It's good work. "I'm... _proud_ of you," he said, curling his lips into a small smile.

Raven's heart twinged a bit at the thoroughly unexpected praise. She gave a small smile of her own, trying not to let her excitement show.

"Begin packing your things. Your plane departs tomorrow at five."

* * *

Raven folded the shirt as neatly as she could, laying it on top of the others in the suitcase. The bag's more important contents, her guns, tech, and combat gear, were hidden in a compartment between it's hard shell exterior and the faux interior, where she had civilian clothes and toiletries stacked to the brim. She was flying commercial after she was finished in Paris, so the bag had to pass a hand inspection if necessary. It would already go through the TSA's scans thanks to the tech embedded inside of it.

She glanced at the smartwatch that now graced her wrist. She had three hours before she needed to leave.

Raven went over her checklist again in her head, making sure she had everything. Nerves swirled in her stomach. She hadn't been able to eat anything all day.

She had told Slade, and told herself, that everything was in order. That she was ready to take on the challenge before her. She was beginning to doubt that was entirely true.

If she had no doubts, why did her hands shake? Why was her stomach in knots? Why did her heart begin to race when she thought about watching the life drain from her former friends' eyes?

 _No_ , she corrected herself once again. _They were never your friends. Not really._

Still, the fear and uncertainty washed over her. In her mind she had no qualms about what she was about to do. But something deeper inside her made her afraid. And right now the whole situation was making her frustrated.

She blamed it on the dreams. She'd had another one last night. Though she couldn't remember exactly what had happened upon waking, she knew this one took place at the tower. They were eating pizza, but there were only four of them. Someone was missing, for some reason. She couldn't remember who.

Raven slammed the suitcase closed, running the zipper around it forcefully. She placed her hands on the top, leaning against it with one hip cocked. She took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly.

She was hoping this feeling would pass, but it seemed that wasn't going to be the case.

Raven sighed, realizing what she had to do. She pushed herself off of the suitcase, turning towards the door. She'd been considering the idea for weeks now, but she was never able to work up the courage. Opening the door silently, she slipped into the hallway and began her course to Slade's study.

She tried to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. She couldn't chicken out now. She didn't know how Slade would react to the news, but she knew she had no choice but to tell him about the dreams. They gave her pause, which they both knew could jeopardize the mission they had worked so hard to prepare her for.

She turned the final corner, spotting Slade's door at the end, slightly ajar. Light poured out into the hallway from the crack, casting eerie shadows on the wall. Raven clenched her fists as she moved forward, stopping just before the door and raising her fist to knock.

She froze suddenly when she heard voices inside. Apparently he wasn't alone. Raven strained to make out whose voices they were to determine if she should interrupt or come back. They were talking very quietly, almost in a whisper.

"I need confirmation. You're not instilling much confidence in me," she could hear Slade grind out. She leaned in a little towards the door, waiting to hear who was on the receiving end of his disappointment this time.

"I've told you everything I can," another man said in reply, equally as frustrated. Raven furrowed her brow. It wasn't as if she knew everyone in the compound, but it was a voice she'd never heard before. If he was talking to Slade in so aggressive of a manor though, it was unlikely he was anyone training here. "There's nothing more I can do. The girl will either fail or succeed on her own, we just have to wait and watch."

 _The girl_. Raven blinked. Theoretically they could be talking about any woman really, but she had that distinct feeling this conversation was about her.

"That's not good enough, Simon," Slade said forcefully in his angry whisper. "That was not our deal. I need certainty. Is she ready yet or not?"

The other man, _Simon_ , sighed. They were silent for a few seconds, during which Raven realized the position she was in. She was blatantly eavesdropping, and if she was caught it wouldn't go over well. She knew she should leave. She willed the muscles in her legs to start carrying her away from here. But she remained stock still, holding her breath and waiting for this stranger's answer.

"Yes. We've waited a year for this. She's as ready as she'll ever be."

The words replayed a few times in her head. Her brow furrowed slightly as her lips fell apart. This had to be her they were talking about, she was certain now. But who was this man? What did he know about her?

Raven had the sudden, overwhelming urge to run. Adrenaline shot through her and she knew she needed to leave, _now_. She acted on her instincts, retreating as quickly and as silently as she could back down the hall.

When she got to her room, she hastily closed the door and locked it. She leaned back against it, letting her legs give out as she slowly sank towards the floor.

Raven had gone to him for answers, for reassurance. Instead she was just handed the opposite. Her mind raced, replaying the conversation over and over. She had no idea who that man was, or why he had anything to do with her plans. Slade had never even mentioned him. Why would he not mention there was someone else who knew what had happened to her?

Raven pushed herself off the ground, heading towards the bathroom. She groped for the light switch and the sink handle, turning the stream of water on and letting it fill her hands. She splashed her face, taking deep breaths to try and calm herself. She looked up into the mirror, staring at her sad reflection.

She looked like a mess, which was accurate to how she was feeling. She'd had such certainty about what she was doing. Now it felt like there was more to her story that even she wasn't aware of.

Raven stared right into her own eyes. She could see the fear there, and the helplessness. She clenched her jaw together, angry at the sight.

Whatever happened, she was _not_ going to be scared anymore. And she was not helpless. _My name is Raven. My life was stolen from me. I'm going to get revenge. For me and for the man I loved._ Grant's eyes flashed through her mind again, making her heart ache. Her fingers went to the engagement ring she now wore on a chain around her neck. She repeated the words over and over again in her head until her mind cleared.

She looked down at the counter, at the box of dye she had requested from Slade but never used. She had two and a half hours until she had to leave: plenty of time. Raven ripped it open, emptying its contents on the counter.

She knew who she was, who she had become, and what she had to do. _No more excuses._

* * *

AN: Thanks SO MUCH to those of you who left reviews, I appreciate it! Next chapter, things start to heat up as the action begins! Thanks for reading and I'll see you again next Friday!

XOXO Gwen


	4. Paris

**Paris**

 _Paris_. Raven had never liked Paris. She never understood some people's fascination with the city. Starfire had always wanted to visit and was thrilled to be there when they finally went, even if it was just to take down the Brotherhood of Evil. Raven wasn't entirely surprised to find out she was now living here.

Starfire had been the easiest to find. She was working as a fashion designer, using her celebrity status as an "in" with the industry. Raven had looked through her work. It was truly strange, but apparently the fashion world ate it up.

She'd been the easiest to find, and Raven figured she'd be the easiest to kill. With the weapon she would soon have in her possession, Starfire's strength and resilience would be useless.

Raven tapped her fingers on the armrest of the plush, first-class recliner. The plane had landed ten minutes ago yet was still taxiing across the runway. _It's a large airport_ , she told herself, though it didn't instill much patience. She would have much preferred to take a private plane to her destination, but she knew as well as Slade did that flying commercial using multiple fake identities for each flight of her journey would make her more difficult to track. Private aircraft aren't hard to find or to shoot down, and the world would be onto her once she did what she came here to do.

She checked her watch again, confirming she had two hours before she had to meet with Slade's contact to receive her weapon. She kept two cards with different addresses written on them in the front pocket of her briefcase. One was the warehouse where she would be meeting the contact, the other was Starfire's work address.

When the plane finally stopped, it took about fifteen seconds for her to make it from her seat to the door, briefcase in hand. She had to remind herself not to look too impatient going through customs, as it could raise suspicions. An even closer inspection of her travel documents would not go over well for her.

Once she was through customs, she released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She rolled her shoulders, trying to sooth the tension in her back, and took deep, calming breaths. As she relaxed and got out of her own head a bit, her body finally caught up to the discomfort of the fourteen hour flight she had endured. She was hungry, she was tired, and she had to pee. Raven swerved to her right, catching sight of a restroom sign.

After using the bathroom, she emerged to wash up and study herself in the mirror. Her hair, hanging in loose waves down past her shoulders, looked a little frizzy and unkempt. Probably from the cheap black box dye she had used the night before. The dark color was an odd change for her; it made her skin look even more pale than usual. She splashed a bit of water on her face, trying to bring some life back into it, before turning to head out. In the mirror, she saw a woman with a cleaning cart rolling behind her to get to work in the stalls.

The scent hit her hard, filling her nose and making her head feel light. _Bleach_. Suddenly adrenaline shot through her. Her heart raced and her head whipped around the room, trying to figure out why she felt so panicked. She stumbled backwards, clutching at the counter behind her.

Images flashed in front of her. She was on her knees, the cold, hard tile biting into them. Her chest heaved. She took gasping, shaky breaths, trying to keep the tears from spilling over. She was bent over, rigorously moving the rag in her hands across the tile. She plunged the fabric into the bucket beside her, not caring how the bleach made her skin feel itchy and dry. She threw the rag down on the floor again, the pink water spreading across stained tile.

There was blood everywhere. It made her so nauseous she had thrown up twice in the toilet next to her. Her bathroom was covered in red handprints, in droplets and puddles and footprints. It coated her arms and stained her fingernails.

Raven fought the images swirling through her head, sliding down against the counter to land in a heap on the floor. She closed her eyes and shook her head, but they persisted. Nothing seemed sequential, just fragments of a story pieced together in flashes.

There were blurs of green and and flashes of red. She was sitting paralyzed on her bedroom floor, watching a fight with horror. She saw Beast Boy on a gurney, surrounded by doctors as they rolled him into the hospital. She watched herself stumble into her bathroom, the weight of another person slung over her shoulder. She saw a glimpse of white towels wrapped around crimson wounds.

"Te sens-tu bien?"

Raven gasped, surfacing back into reality again.

"Te sens-tu bien?" There was a woman hovering over her, clearly concerned. As Raven looked around she realized there was a small group forming around her. A child clutched onto her mother's leg, eyes wide with fear of the crazy woman in hysteria on the bathroom floor.

"Are you alright?" the woman asked again, her french accent thick. Raven clenched her fists, forcing a small smile onto her face.

"Yes, I am. Sorry, I was just sick from the plane," she explained, pulling herself up onto her feet. She straightened her jacket, snatched her briefcase off the ground, and nodded politely at the woman before making a hasty exit from the bathroom.

Raven emerged back into the terminal, focusing solely on putting one foot in front of the other. As she walked, the memories seemed to fade, like waking from a dream and forgetting what it was about. By the time she got to baggage claim, all that was left was an impression: the deep crimson of blood, the salty taste of her tears, and the smell of bleach.

That, and the haunting remnant of unshakeable fear.

* * *

"Here?" the driver asked, gesturing to the building across the street. Raven looked down at the piece of paper in her hand, then up at the building, confirming that the numbers matched.

"Yes, I suppose so," she said, her voice distant. The driver grunted, gesturing towards the meter at the front displaying her total. His relative silence indicated to her that he didn't know much English. She handed him a wad of bills to cover the fare and a generous tip, then grabbed the heavy metal briefcase off of the seat next to her and slid out of the cab. She turned around slowly, staring at the building in front of her. She had seen it in pictures and she had memorized every detail of the blueprints, yet standing in front of it was something else entirely.

Raven clenched her jaw and cocked her hip to the side, mustering up her confidence. This was it: the first kill.

She strode through the front door, the sleek, modern interior a surprise considering it's historic facade. Thank Azar there was no real security in the lobby, just two men at the front desk checking in visitors.

"Hello," she intoned softly, pausing at the desk. "I'm here for an appointment with The Kori Anders Company."

"Sign in on the registry please." The man looked unenthused and uninterested. Raven switched the briefcase to her left hand and picked up the pen, scrawling "Rachel Roth" and the time down on the first blank line. The guard nodded at her after she finished. "Floor 6."

Raven smirked as she turned towards the elevator banks. As if she didn't already know.

Raven tapped the toe of her boot against the floor as the elevator creeped slowly upwards. Patience was never a virtue of hers. The thick two-inch block heels of her boots were weighted, so as to really do some damage when she landed a kick. They extended up and over her knees, leather on the front, stretchy knit on the back, and housed two long knives in hidden sheaths inside. She wore black kevlar leggings, a fitted bulletproof bodice, and a black leather trench that hid the gun tucked into her back waistband. She wore her hair long and swept over one shoulder to hide the burn on her neck. For now, at least.

 _Ding_. The elevator doors slid open and Raven let her lips turn up in a small smile. She was ready for this. She turned left out of the elevators, starting her way down the hall that lead to Kori Anders' design studio. Her boots clicked loudly on the wood floor as she strode confidently down the hall.

Starfire would be one of the easiest to kill, but she would by no means be _easy_. When she was surrounded by civilians that she cared about was when she was most vulnerable. Her concern for their safety would diminish her destructive power.

Raven finally came up on the frosted glass double doors with Starfire's logo etched across them. She paused for just a moment, taking one final deep breath, before wrapping her fingers around the handle and opening the door that would take her past the point of no return.

The layout of the office was open and airy, with high ceilings and few walls. There were clothes and fabrics and colors heaped and hung everywhere while people moved around the office with a lively pace. Raven quickly scanned the room before her eyes landed on the small reception desk in front of her.

"Bienvenue à la Kori Ander's Company, comment puis-je vous aider?" the receptionist asked brightly. Raven assumed she was rattling off some standard greeting, as French was one of the few languages she hadn't yet mastered.

"I'm here to see Ms. Anders," Raven said smoothly, continuing to scan the room for a familiar head of fiery red hair.

"Do you have an appointment? What is your name?"

"I'm here on behalf of one of your fabric vendors, TitanTex." Raven held up the briefcase. "There are a few things she requested to see from us."

"Certainly. If you could please have a seat—"

"Could you please call her right now and tell her I'm here? I'm in a bit of a hurry." The receptionist seemed both wary of the intense-looking woman in front of her and irritated by her request. Regardless, she picked up the phone and rattled something off in French. All Raven could make out was the company name she had just given her, which she hoped would be sufficient to lure Starfire out of her office.

Raven turned her attention to the room again, this time intently focusing on the far wall, where she knew Starfire's office was. Sure enough, she saw the door open a few seconds later. She could just barely make out a glimpse of red as she watched the top of her head moving quickly towards her.

Raven surged forward, ignoring whatever the receptionist was saying to her. All she could hear was a faint ringing and the thudding of her racing heartbeat.

She saw Starfire come into full view before Starfire saw her. She stopped in her tracks, half the office still between them, and stared with wide eyes.

The girl hadn't changed much, but had let her hair grow into a gloriously long mane that stretched to the back of her thighs in loose waves. She wore a white silky top tucked into black trousers and balanced on dangerously high heels as she marched through the office with a coffee mug in hand. Raven fought the urge to smirk.

She stared right at her, her face a hard, cold mask, watching as her former friend scanned the office with a furrowed brow. She saw her eyes land on her and move away before doing a double take. She stopped dead in her tracks as she continued to stare.

The mug she was holding fell to the floor and shattered.

Some of the people around them gasped a little and started asking questions as they moved to clean up the mess and stop the spread of the spilled beverage. Starfire continued to stand utterly still, mouth slightly agape and eyes wide with shock. After a few seconds of this, her employee's eyes traveled to the source of her odd behavior. In her peripheral vision, Raven could see the whole office grind to a halt as they all stopped to take stock of the strange encounter.

Starfire continued to stare right at her, her lower lip quivering. "Raven?" she asked cautiously, her voice breathy and soft. It still managed to carry across the room, which was now so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Starfire," she ground out. She let her lip turn up in the corner, cocking her head and raising a single slim brow.

Her eyes opened even wider as a tear slid down her cheek. "You're alive."

The way she said it, the expression on her face... she looked almost _happy_. Raven lost the smirk from her face, her brows drawing together.

"Disappointed?" she asked venomously. She slowly brought her hand up to her neck, sliding her hair back behind her shoulders.

Starfire gasped a little and covered her mouth with one hand when she saw the burn running up the side of Raven's neck. More tears began to flow. "Raven," she whimpered. It made Raven's jaw clench in disgust.

It took her a moment to register that Starfire was on the move. In the blink of an eye, Starfire was barreling towards her with her arms outstretched.

A shock of adrenaline coursed through her as she leapt into action. She dropped the briefcase she was holding in her right hand and quickly reached behind her, pulling the semiautomatic from her waistband. In an instant she flipped the safety off and had it aimed straight at her, both hands on the weapon.

Starfire came to a screeching halt. They stood ten feet from one another, motionless yet again. Confusion and shock played over Starfire's face. Raven's scowl deepened. _What the hell is she surprised about?_ Seconds ago she was charging forward to attack.

"Friend, I... do not understand." She stumbled over the words, eyes darting back and fourth between the gun and Raven's eyes. "You wish to... harm me?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Playing dumb won't work for you this time." She took a deep breath, centering her energy and focusing on the target ahead. She had so much anger boiling within her; she knew she had to channel it.

"You lied to me. You betrayed me. You killed—" Her voice broke, betraying her pain in the midst of her otherwise stone-cold delivery. "You killed the man I loved." A stray tear finally broke free and slid down her cheek.

With every word that Raven spoke, Starfire's eyes grew wider and glassier from tears. She shook her head slowly. "Raven, I do not know of what you are saying. I would never—"

"Don't!" she spit out, taking a step forward. She could see Starfire slide into a subtle defensive stance. "Don't stand there and continue to lie to me." She gave a short, humorless laugh. "He warned me you'd try to confuse me. I'm not falling for games."

Starfire began to crouch a bit, bringing her fists slowly up in front of her. They began to glow an erie green. All around them, people began to back away slowly, trying to get out without drawing attention. Starfire's eyes darted back and fourth between them and the adversary in front of her."I do not know what has happened to you friend, but I do not wish to hurt you."

Raven clenched her jaw in a snarl. "Too late." She inhaled, then fired the gun.

Starfire dodged it, of course, spinning out of the path of the bullet faster than Raven could pull the trigger. By this point, people were screaming and running frantically for the exits. Starfire lunged forward, winding up her arm to deliver a blow. Raven tossed the gun aside, unsurprised by its uselessness, and whipped out her bo staff just as the girl reached her. Raven gracefully dodged her strike and realized how much she was holding back. _That'll be her demise,_ Raven thought with a smirk playing at her lips. She brought the bo staff out in a wide arc, landing a powerful blow to the side of her head. Starfire reeled, stumbling over her own feet as she tried to regain her balance and orient herself. If she was human, she'd probably have a skull fracture.

Raven looked down around her, searching for the briefcase. She'd been foolish to drop it. She knelt down, grasping for the handle, when Starfire struck again, this time from a distance. Raven lurched forward as a starbolt flew by her head, singeing the ends of her hair. She pulled the case in front of her, deflecting the next bolt that she hurled her way. Raven took off towards her right.

"Please, stop this Raven!" she called, eyes glowing as she thew bolts haphazardly along Raven's path. They had switched places from their first encounter, with Raven facing towards the office entrance. Her fingers fumbled with the latch on the case, finally releasing the lock. She pulled the plasma gun from the velvety interior and aimed it at her target.

Starfire finally stilled, breathing heavily from the release of energy. She eyed the gun warily.

Raven fought to keep her expression icy and unmoved. "I _begged_ you to spare him," she dictated slowly. "I pleaded for you all to leave the two of us unharmed. Don't you _dare_ tell me to stop what you and the others started."

She slid her thumb up to flip a switch on the gun, priming it to fire. Starfire heard its whirring mechanics and shifted her gaze back and fourth between it and Raven's eyes, her expression growing into despair.

"Plasma gun. A direct hit will kill you."

Her eyes finally landed firmly on Raven's, confidence mixing with an underlaying fear. "Raven, whatever conflict we may have, you are still and will forever be my dear friend. I have much love for you and despite the evil that clouds your mind, I know you still have deep affection for me as well." She gave a small smile. "Friend, I do not believe you will fire."

There was something about the softness of her smile that sent a twinge of panic through Raven's gut. Vague memories of reluctant shopping trips, meditation sessions, and pizza dates floated through her mind's eye.

Starfire sensed her hesitation and took a slow step forward. "Please, let us talk. Do not do any more harm here. You are not a bad person, so please do not cause anyone more pain." Raven stiffened once more. _No, I'm not a bad person. This isn't my fault. It's hers._

"Raven, I believe if you would just—"

Raven's fingers curled around the trigger, sending a stream of plasma straight into her enemy's chest.


End file.
